Necktie spreader



Jan. 31, 1956 A. D. BOOKER 2,732,558

NECKTIE SPREADER Filed Sept. 25, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

United States P tent NECKTIE SPREADER Alvah D. Booker, Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada Application September 25, 1952, Serial No. 311,453

6 Claims. 7 (Cl. 2-157) 'The present invention relates to devices for improving the appearance of neckties, and more specifically to a spreader for improving the appearance of-the front end or exposed end portion of a four-in-hand tie and for holding the back or covered portion of the tie in position.

When tying a four-in-hand tie, the knot, which may be formed in any of several well known ways, is usually initially tied very loosely. After the knot has been tied, the front or exposed portion of the tie is pulled downwardly to draw the knot tight. Upon tightening of the knot, the edges of the front or exposed portion of the tie tend to curl and bunch together to conform. to the shape of the knot, thereby producing an untidy and unsightly appearing knot. Furthennore, the back or'covered narrower portion of the tie often twists so that it does not hang neatly flat against the chest of the wearer. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simple novel device which may be quickly and easily attached to the tie to spread the outer or exposed portion of the tie and to hold the inner or covered portion of the tie from twisting, thereby to provide a neater and better looking tie.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type set forth above which may be quickly and economically manufactured within a minimum number of parts. i

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device of the above type which will be concealed during use while positively engaging and spreading the outer or exposed portion of the tie.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a partial perspective view, showing a four-inhand tie tied around the neck of a shirt with the device of this invention applied to the tie; a

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1, but shows the device of f this invention as it is initially app-lied to the back or covered end of the tie and before the device has been applied to the front or exposed end of the tie;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing a device embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view. partially broken away, show Referring now more specifically to the drawings, -I'

wherein like parts are designated by the same numeral throughout the various figures, a tie spreading and holding device 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figure 3. The device 10 includes a body 12, which may be constructed of sheet metal, plastic, or any other suitable material. As shown best in Fig. 5, the body member 12 is curved or of concave shape so that the front or exposed end 14 of the tie will be shaped to a neat appearing curved formation when the device is applied thereto, as shown in Fig. l. The longitudinal edges 16 and 18 of the body member are curved, as shown best in Fig. 4, to provide a pleasing appearance, and adjacent one end of the body member, the edges 16 and 18 join together to provide a material impinging point 20. As shown in Fig. 5, the point 20 extends outwardly from the body member and is preferably inclined at an acute angle to the body member and is directed forwardly thereof. This presents the point 20 at an angle so that it may readily engage the material of the front or exposed end 14 of the tie to secure one end of the spreader device to the tie. It should be noted that the junction between the point 20 and the body member 12 provides a stop surface 21, which limits the distance the point 20 may be inserted into the material of the tie.

At the end of the body member 12 opposite the material impinging point 20, the body member is bent rearwardly to provide an ear or tab 22 extending laterally and rearwardly of the body member. A combination housing and clip member 24 is integrally connected with the ear 22 and extends generally along the rear surface of the body member 12. Preferably, the body member 12, the material impinging point 20, the ear 22, and the housing and clip member 24 are formed from a single blank of sheet material, such as the blank shown in Fig. 7.'

In order to' form the'housing 24, the blank is slotted as at 26 and 28, which slots define the upper edge of housing 24 spaced apart to provide a guide slot 34. The

housing portion 24 of the blank is then bent so that it lies generally along the body member 12, as shown in the drawings, and in this position, the housing 24 is connected with the ear 22 by a curved connecting section 36, shown best in Fig. 5. Because of the arc of this curved connecting section 36, the housing portion 24 is relatively rigidly connected with the ear 22 and cannot be easily bent rearwardly away from the body member 12. The housing 24 is restrained against collapsing against the rear surface of the body member 12 by engagernent of the shoulder portions 38 and 40 with the inner surface of the ear 22. These shoulder portions 38 and 40 are formed by the previously described slots 26 and 28, which are shown in Fig. 7. As shown best in Figs. 5 and 6, the end of the housing and clip member 24 adjacent the ear 22 is closed thereby. The opposite or free end 42 on the housing 24 is preferably closed by crimping the sides of the housing together.

The car 22 is provided with an aperture 44, which is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the housing 24. A shaft 46 is slidably disposed within the aperture 44 and has a portion extending outwardly from the ear beyond the body member 12. At its outer end, the shaft 46 is formed with a material impinging point 48, which is directed slightly forwardly at an acute angle from the shaft 46 for ready engagement with the exposed end portion 14 of the tie. Inwardly of the material impinging point 48, the shaft 46 is formed with double loops 50 which serve as an enlargement on the shaft to limit the distance that the pin48 may be inserted into the material of the tie. Inwardly of the ear 22, the shaft 46 is formed with a looped portion 52, which portion serves as both a guide and a stop. As shown in Fig. 5, the looped portion 52 is engageable with the inner surface of the ear 22 to limit the outward movement of the shaft 46 and, as shown best in Figs. 5 and 6, the looped portion 52 extends radially out of the housing 24' through the slot 34 for engagement with the edges and 32 of the slot to prevent rotation of the shaft 46. Thus, the shaft 46 is guided and always held so that the pin 48 always projects forwardly for ready engagement with the tie. The shaft 46 is normally biased towards the outer limit of. its movement within the housing 24' by a coiled spring 54 disposed within the housing. The spring 54 is positioned with one endba'ck against the closed end 22 of' the housing. 24v and the other end encircling an. inner end portion of the shaft 46 and abutting the inner leg of. the looped portion. 52. With this structure, it is seen that. the shaft 46 may be moved inwardly to accommodate ties of diiferent Widths.

When using the. novel device of this invention, the tie is first knotted in the usual manner, as. shown. in Figs. 1. and 2.. The device it is. then: slipped. over the narrower or underneath. portion. 56 of. the: tie with the housing. and clip portion 24 disposed underneath the normally covered portiontSfi of the tie. The device is then slipped upwardly to a position beneath the knot of the tie, and the material L impinging point. 29 of. the body member is inserted into the back of the exposed portion 14 of. the tie adjacent one edge thereof. Next, the shaft 46 is pushed slightly inwardly against the pressure of the spring 54, and then the material. impinging point 48 is inserted in the material. of. the end. portion 14 of the tie adjacent an edge thereof opposite the point. 20. Upon releasing the shaft 45, the spring 54 urges the shaft towards its fully outwardly extended position, and, thus, the material of the tie between the points 20 and 4-8 is spread out evenly over I- the outer surface of the body member 12 to provide a neat appearing tie. Furthermore, the action of the spring 54 places the material of the tie under a slight tension whicn tends to cause further penetration of the points 3% and into the tie, whereby the possibility of accidental disengagement of one of the points is greatly redue-ed. With the device 10 in place, the tie is then allowed to hang normally, as shown in Fig. 1.

From the above description, it is seen that the present invention provides a novel and extremely simple device which may be quickly and economically manufactured from a minimum number of parts. Furthermore, it will be seen that by the novel structure of this invention, the portion of the device which forms a. housing for the .spring and shaft member 46 also forms a clip member for effectively holding the under or normally covered end portion of the tie from twistinm.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim;

1. A tie spreader, comprising an elongated sheeet material body member having opposite edges adjacent one end thereof converging into an integral material impinging point extending outwardly of said one end, an ear extending laterally from said body member adjacent the opposite end thereof, a shaft slidably mounted on said ear and having a portion extending outwardly beyond said opposite end of the body member, material impinging means on said outwardly extending end portion of said shaft and directed generally oppositely from said material impinging point, and means for yieldably biasing said shaft outwardly endwise of said body member.

2. A tie spreader, comprisingan elongated body member, a material impinging member extending outwardly from one end of said body member, an ear extending laterally from the other end of said body member, an elongated clip member integrally connected to said ear and extending generally along said body member, a separate material impinging member mounted on said ear and extendingv outwardly therefrom, and generally away from said elongated clip member and said first mentioned material impinging member, and means for yieldably biasing said separate impinging member away from said first mentioned impinging member.

3. A tie spreader, comprising an elongated body member, an integral material impinging member extending outwardly from one end of said body member, an ear extending laterally from the other end of said body member, an elongated housing integrally connected to said ear and extending generally along and adjacent said body section, whereby a portion of a tie may be clipped between. the body portion and said housing, a shaft slidably disposed within said housing and having an end portion extending outwardly beyond said ear, and material impinging means on said outwardly extending end portion of said shaft.

4. A tie spreader, comprising an elongated body memher, a material: impinging member extending. outwardly from one end of. said body member, an ear extending laterally of said body member from the opposite end thereof, a housing. integraliy connected to said ear and extending generally and adjacent. said body member, whereby a portion of atie: may be: clipped. between the body portion. and said housing, said housing having an elongated slot therein, a shaft slidably disposed within said housing and having; an: end; portion extending, outwardly beyond said ear, said shaft having guide and stop means thereon and extending into said slot to prevent said shaft from rotating relative. to said housing, spring means carried by said housing and engageable with said guide and stop means for yieldably urging, said shaft outwardly, said guide and stop means being engageable with a portion of the tie holder for limiting the outward movement of said shaft, and material impinging means on said outwardly cxtendingportion of said shaft.

5. A tie spreader, comprising an elongated body member, a material impinging member extending outwardly from one end of said body member, an ear extending laterally from said body member adjacent the opposite end thereof, a clip member integrally connected with saidv car by an arcuate connecting section and disposed generally along said body member, said arcuate connecting section having sufiicient inherent rigidity to restrain displacement of said clip member away from said body member in one direction, said clip member having shoulder means thereon. engageable with said ear for restraining displacement of said clip member toward said body member and .in an opposite direction, and yieldable material impinging means carried by said ear and extending outwardly from said ear and generally oppositely from said. clip member.

6; A tie spreader comprising a transversely elongated and relatively narrow sheet material body member, a fixed work impinging point extending outwardly from one end of. the body member, means providing a mounting structure including a reversely bent portion of the body memher and disposed in the rear thereof, a shiftable work impinging point carried by said mounting structure, and means yieldably biasing said shiftable work impinging point away from said fixed work impinging point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,833,353 Burghart Nov, 24, 1931 2,501,046 Gugino Mar. 21, 1950 2,545,322 Tupy Mar. 13, 1951 2,566,760 Dorusak Sept. 4, 1951 

